Pneumatic cleaner.



0. B. GILMORE. PNEUMATIC CLEANER. APPLICATION PILED JULY 28, 1910.

1,009,499 v Pati-gmtedI\T 0v.21,191 1.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1 COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH coqwAsm fiuToN. n. c.

0. B. GILMORE.

PNEUMATIC CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED JULYZB, 1910.

- 1,009,499. Patented N0v.21, 1911.

- 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

- 0. B. GILMORE.

PNEUMATIC GLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1910.

Patented NOV. 21, 1911;

3 SHEETS SHEET 3.

uooooom 'UNITED'STATES 1?ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES BURDETTE GILMORE, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONEFI-IALF TO LEWIS C. WALTER, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

PNEUMATIC CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

Application filed July 28, 1910. Serial No. 574,226.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES BUBDETTE GILMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of Mc- Lean and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates topneumatic cleaners for removing dust from carpets, curtains, floors, walls, etc., and is particularly designed to produce an apparatus of this character which will be simple in construction and easy to operate, and which, while strong and durable, will at the same time be light enough to be easily transported from place to place as occasion requires.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a cleaning apparatus which shall comprise a dust pan in which the dust and dirt removed from the air in passing through the cleaner, will be collected, and to so construct this dust pan that 1 it may be readily detached from the remaining parts of the mechanism so that it can be carried away and emptied, leaving the remainder of the apparatus intact. This construction enables the dust and dirt to be removed and disposed of without transporting the entire apparatus to the place where the dirt is to be emptied.

Another object of the invention is the provision of devices in the dust pan which will separate the coarse material from the air drawn into the cleaner and retain the same in the pan, and also the provision of additional and finer air filtering devices or strainers for relieving the air of the fine dust and dirt which is not removed by the coarse filtering devices located in the pan.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for removing the accumulation of fine dust and dirt from the finer filter or screen and for depositing the dust so removed, in the dust pan, in order that it may be carried away and disposed of when the pan is dumped.

Still another object is the provision of mechanism for reversing the direction of the air current 1n the cleaner or separator for rellevmg the screens of the finer dust or dirt which may not have been removed by the mechanical filter-cleaning means, and

for depositing this dust in the dust pan Referring to the drawingsFigure 1 illustrates a plan view of a cleaner embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the turning plug. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the pump discharge valves; and Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the pump inlet valves.

On the drawings, 8 designates the base or bed of the apparatus provided with an upwardly extending saddle or cradle 9 adapted to support the suction pump 10: Any preferred type of automatically operated or manually operated pump may be em loyed in this connection. I have shown or the purposes of illustration, however, an ordinary diaphragm pumpof cylindrical shape consisting of two heads 11 and 12, secured together at the center by flanges 13 with an intervening diaphragm 14 of rubber or other suitable material. Braces 15 secured at their upper ends to the pump and at their lower ends to the base 8 of'the apparatus, are preferably employed to maintain the pump in position and lend strength and rigidity to the structure.

Thehead 12 is provided with a suitable stuffing box 16 in which is mounted a stem 17 connected in any suitable manner with the center of the diaphragm 14, so that as the stem is reciprocated, a corresponding motion will be given to the diaphragm for the purpose of creating a partial vacuum and resulting suction alternately in each of the suction chambers of the pump.

The stem 17 is adapted to reciprocate in a stationary bearing 18 on the upper end of a standard 19 bolted or otherwise secured to the base 8, and is adjustably connected with a head 20 by means of a set-screw 21. A handle 22 is pivotally mounted at 23 in a bracket or hearing 24 secured to the base of the apparatus, and is connected with the head 20 by a pair of links 25 attached at one end to the studs 26 projecting laterally from the prongs of the handle, and at the other end to a bolt 27 passed through the head 20, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper portion 28 of the handle is fitted into a socket in the lower portion 22 in order that it may be readily removedwhen the machine is packed for shipment. It will be evident that an oscillatory movement of the handle about its pivot will impart reciprocatory motion to the stem 17 and to the diaphragm 14, thus drawing air alternately into the pump chambers on either side of the diaphragm.

The separator for removing dust and dirt from the air before it is drawn into the pump, designated generally as 29, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises the vertically disposed chamber 80 and the removable dust pan 31 provided with a plurality of pivotally mounted bolts 82 which are adapted to be positioned in slots in the members 33 secured upon the plate 34 to which the chamber is rigidly secured by bolts or other preferred fastening means. When the thumb-nuts 35 are turned down upon the bolts 32 to engage the members 33, the dust pan is firmly clamped in position beneath the plate 34, as shown in the drawings. A pair of braces 36 bolted to the braces 15, support the separator in position.

A branched pipe 37 has threaded upon each of its downwardly projecting branches, threaded disks 38, as shown in Fig. 7 which disks are bolted or otherwise secured to the intake ports 39 of the pump. Check valves 40 are disposed beneath each of the disks 38 over the threat ed openings therethrough, and are normally maintained in position over the openings by springs 41. These valves permit air to be drawn into the pump chambers through the pipe 37 but effectually preventoutward passage of the air from the chambers into the pipe 87.

A pipe 42 is connected with the outlet ports 43 from the pump chambers, as shown in Fig. 6. Check valves 44 are disposed over the discharge openings to permit the air to be discharged from the pump chambers into the pipe 42 but to prevent the passage of air into the chambers from the pipe 42. Suitable plates 45 are positioned over the openings above the valves, and may be removed when it is desired to attain access to the valves for the purpose of repairing or replacing the valves. The outer ends of the pipes 87 and 42 are connected to a valve casing 46, as best shown in Fig. 2, the connection being effected by coupling-nuts 47, as shown. Connected to the opposite side of the valve casing 46 by means of the connection 48 and in horizontal alinement with the pipe 37, is a pipe 49 which communicates with the top of the chamber 30 through a connection 50, as shown in Fig. 5. A pipe 51 is also connected to the valve casing by means of a connection 52 opposite from and in horizontal alinement with the pipe 42.

A rotary valve plug 53 is positioned in the casing 46 and is provided at one end with an operating handle 54 by means of which the plug may be turned to establish the desired communication between the various pipes disposed upon opposite sides of and connected with the valve casing.

A pipe 55 is connected by means of a connection 56 with the top of the valve casing in alinement with a pipe 57 connected to the bottom of the casing at its upper end and with the plate 34 at its lower end, as shown in Fig. 2. The valve plug 53 is provided with a port 58, as shown in Fig. 3, which establishes communication between the pipe 55 and the pipe 57 when the handle 54 is in the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position of the valve plug communication is established between the pipe 49 leading from the separator and the pipe 37 by means of the port 59, while communication is maintained between the pipe 42 and the pipe 51 through the port 60.

hen the apparatus is employed for cleaning purposes, a hose (not shown) supplied with a nozzle or other preferred cleaning implement, is attached to the outer end of the pipe 55. Upon operation of the pump air will be drawn through the pipe 55, the port 58 and the pipe 57, into the separator 29 where it will be filtered and relieved from dust and dirt in a manner hereinafter to be described. The air will then be drawn from the separator through the outlet pipe 49, the port 59 and the pipe 37, into the pump, from whence it will be discharged through the pipe 42, the port 60 and the discharge pipe 51, to the atmosphere.

The valve plug is also provided with a port 61 adapted to establish communication between the pipe 51 and the pipe 37, and a port 52 adapted to establish communication between the pipe 49 and the pipe 42 when the handle 54 is turned into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the dust pan 31 is provided with an upwardly projecting, perforated partition 63 which forms a coarse screen adapted to prevent the entrance of coarse material into the centrally disposed chamber formed by the partition. This partition is fastened to the bottom of the pan by rivets or other preferred fastening means and forms a chamber having three of its walls perforated for the admission of air therethrough directly beneath one side of the chamber 80. A second partition 64 substantially semi-circular in shape, as shown in Fig. 5, is likewise secured to the outer face of the screen.

bottom of the pan 31 adjacent the chamber' formed by the partition 63. The compartment inclosed by the partition 64 forms a dust pocket directly beneath one side of the the bottom of the pan for the purpose of collecting lint, thread. and other coarse particles'that may be drawn into the separator through the pipe 57. It will be evident from the drawings that the dust pocket formed by the partition 64 does not communicate with the main portion of the dust pan surrounding the same but is entirely separated therefrom. A rectangular filter screen 67 having a bottom 70 and a top 71 is disposed within the chamber 30, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. This filter screen is preferably suspended from the top 68 of the chamber by bolts 69 which also secure the coupling 50 to said top. It will be evident that the filter screen may be removed from the chamber together with the top 68 when desired, and may be reversed to present the opposite side for use. The filter screen may be constructed of wire gauze, muslin or other fine mesh material or it may be made of wire covered with cloth. It is desirable, however, that this screen be fine enough to remove the fine particles of dust from the air current as it passes'through the screen. Immediately'beneath the screen and in substantial alinement with the forward face thereof, there is disposed a coarser screen or filter 72. This screen is adapted to relieve the air of the coarser grade of dust or dirt which may be drawn through the perforated partition 63. The top 68 of the chamber 30 is provided with a suit-ablestuffing boX 73 in which is mounted'a stem 74 of a head 75 provided with bristles on one edge to form a brush 76. A suitable handle 77 is secured to the upper end of the stem 74 by means of which the brush may be reciprocated longitudinally in the chamber 30. As is evident from the drawings, the head 75 and the brush are not as wide as the space between the front edge of the screen 67 and the forward wall of the chamber 30. This allows sufficient clearance between the brush and the screen on the upward stroke of the brush to permit the brush to be raisedwithout dislodging or disturbing the dust and dirt which may be accumulated upon the Since the top 68 is preferably made of sheet metal, it will be flexible enough to permit the stufiing box 73 to be tilted slightly to bring the head 75 away from the screen on its upward stroke and to permit the head to be moved toward the screen, to bring the brush into engagement therewith on the downward stroke to dislodge the accumulated dust from the screen and sweep it down into the dust pocket. Several reciprocations of the brush will be sufficient to dislodge the dust from the outer face of the screen and deposit it in the dust pocket beneath. The head 75 when in its normal position, shown in Fig. 5, forms a cover for the dust pocket which prevents the dust which has been accumulated in the pocket from being withdrawn from the pocket into the chamber 30 by the suction action of the pump. In order to insure a tight fit of the head a spring or inclined member 78 is preferably secured to the forward wall of the chamber 30 near its lower end which urges the head rearwardly against the bottom of the frame 79 in which the screen 72 is mounted, thereby effectually covering and sealing the top of the dust pocket.

During the normal operation of the ap paratus the air is drawn into the dust pan through the pipe 57 as previously explained, and the lint, thread and other coarse refuse is lodged against the pins 66 in the dust pan. The coarse material which is not retained by the pins will be screened from the air by the perforated partition 63, and a further screening is eflected by the screen 72. The air when it reaches the chamber 30 has been relieved of all of the coarse dirt by the pins 66, the perforated partition 63 and the screen 72, as described. The fine dust and dirt with which the air is still laden will be filtered from the air by its passage through the forward face of the filter screen 67 before it is discharged from the separator into the outlet pipe 49. WVhen the screen 67 has become so laden with dust as to affect the operation of the pump and render its manipulation difiicult, the cleaning operation may be temporarily suspended while the brush 76 is given a few reciprocations by means of the handle 7 7 to sweep the dust from'the screen 67 down into the dust pocket in the dust pan. The dust so removed from the screen and deposited in the pocket will be retained therein during the subsequent operation of the apparatus by the head 75 which effectually seals the opening into the pocket, as previously eX- plained. When a considerable quantity of dust and dirt has been collected in the dust pan both within and without the dust pocket, it is usually desirable to efiectually clean all of the screens in the separator by reversing the direction of the air current therethrough before the dust pan is removed for the purpose of emptying it. In order to reverse the direct-ion of the air current the valve plug 53 is provided with the additional passageways 61 and 62, as shown in Fig. 3. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 2, during the normal operations of the machine the passageways 61 and 62 are not in communication with any of the pipes connected with the valve casing.

hen, however, it is desired to reverse the direction of the air current in the separator, the handle 54 is turned to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. This movement of the valve plug shuts off communication between the pipe 55 and the pipe 57 establishes communication between the pipe 51 and the pipe 37 through the passageway 62, and also establishes communication between the pipe 42 and the pipe 49 through the passageway 61. Operation of the pump will now draw air through the pipe 51, the passageway (32 and the pipe 37, into the pump chamber, from whence it will be discharged through the pipe 42, the passageway 61 and the pipe 49 into the top of the screen 67 disposed in the chamber 30. The air will be blown through this screen thereby removing all dust particles therefrom, then through the screen 72 and the perforated partition 63 into the dust pan. Since the pipe 57 is closed by the valve plug 53, as before explained, a separate discharge outlet 80 from the dust pan, is provided. This out-let is formed through the plate 34: and is provided with a screen 81 disposed over the bottom thereof within the dust pan to prevent the dust and refuse in the pan from escaping out into the atmosphere. A flap valve 82 is disposed over the opening 80 and will be opened to permit the discharge of air when pressure is created in the dust pan by reversal of the air current. During the normal cleaning operation of the ma chine, however, this flap valve is maintained in closed position by the partial vacuum which is created in the dust pan by the suction pump. After the separator has been effectually cleaned by the reversal of the air current, as above described, the thumb-nuts 35 may be loosened and the pivoted bolts 32 swung out of engagement with the members 33, thereby releasing the dust pan from the plate 34. has accumulated in the separator is now collected in the dust pan either in the dust pocket or in the chamber surrounding the pocket, the apparatus is eifectually cleaned and relieved of all dust and dirt by simply disposing of the dust in the dust pan. It is obvious that the pan may be readily and quickly removed without removing or dismantling any of the remaining parts of the apparatus.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious that various mechanical changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the material advanta es thereof.

lVhat I desire to claim is:

1. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combina tion of a separator for removing dust particles from a current of air, an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe connected with Since all of the dust which said separator, means for inducing a current of air through said pipes and separator, means for closing said air inlet pipe and reversing the direction of the current of air through said separator and outlet pipe, and an exhaust passageway through which said reversed air current is discharged.

2. In a pneumatic cleaner, a separator comprising a vertically disposed chamber, a filter screen mounted therein, a dust pan provided with a dust pocket removably secured beneath said chamber, a brush located in said chamber and normally forming a cover for said dust pocket, and means for reciprocating said brush in said chamber and moving it toward and from said screen to sweep the dust from the screen into the dust pocket beneath.

3. In a pneumatic cleaner, a separator comprising a vertically disposed chamber, a dust pan provided with an open top dust pocket removably secured thereto, a block provided with brush bristles at one side thereof normally forming a cover for said pocket, a screen disposed within said vertically disposed chamber, and means for reciprocating said brush within the chamber and moving it toward and from said screen for sweeping the dust accumulated on the screen into the dust pocket located therebeneath.

4. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combination of a separator for removing dust particles from a current of air, an air inlet pipe communicating with said separator, a pneumatic device, an outlet pipe connecting the separator with said device, a turning plug disposed across said inlet, outlet and discharge pipes for shutting off the inlet pipe and reversing the direction of the air current through the outlet and discharge pipes whereby the current of air will be reversed in the separator for the purpose of cleaning the same, and a normally closed discharge passageway from said separator through which the reversed air current is discharged.

5. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combination of a separator comprising a vertically disposed filter screen, a dust pan provided with a dust pocket removably positioned beneath said screen and a brush normally forming a cover for said pocket and adapted to be manipulated to sweep the dust from the screen into the pocket, an air inlet pipe communicating with said separator, an air current inducer, an air outlet pipe connecting said separator and air current inducer, a multiple passage turning plug disposed across said air inlet and outlet passages for closing said inlet pipe and reversing the direction of the flow of air in the outlet pipe, and a discharge passageway opening from said separator through which the reversed air current is discharged.

6. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combination of a separator for removing dustparticles from a current of air, said separator being provided with a discharge opening, a valve for closing said opening during the normal operation of the device, an inlet pipe through which the air is drawn into the separator, a pneumatic device, an outlet pipe through which the air is drawn trom the, separator into the device, a discharge pipe from the device, and a valve interposed between said outlet and discharge pipes whereby air may be drawn into the device through the discharge pipe and forced under pressure into the separator through the outlet pipe for the purpose of cleaning the separator, the air being subsequently discharged from the separator through said valved discharge opening.

7 In a pneumatic cleaner, the combination of a separator comprising a plurality of vertically disposed screens, a dust pan having a chamber formed by a perforated partition and an open top pocket adjacent said chamber, a brush normally forming a cover for said pocket, means for removably securing said dust pan to the screen supporting portion of the separator whereby said pan together with the chamber and dust pocket may be bodily removed for the purpose of emptying the same.

8. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combina tion of a pneumatic device, and a separator connected therewith for removing dust particles from a current of air induced in said separator by said device, said separator comprising a vertically disposed chamber, a vertically disposed filter screen mounted therein, a dust pan provided with a dust pocket disposed beneath said chamber, and a brush for sweeping the dust collected on said screen into said pocket, said brush nor mally forming a cover for the pocket.

9. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combina tion of a separator for removing dust particles from a current of air, an air current inducing means, an inlet pipe through which air is drawn into the separator, an outlet pipe connecting said separator with the air current inducing means, .a discharge pipe connected with said air current inducing means, a valve casing disposed across said inlet, outlet and discharge pipes, a multiple passage turning plug disposed in said casing, means for turning said plug whereby to close the air inlet pipe and reverse the direction of the air current through the separator, outlet and discharge pipes, and

an exhaust passageway through which said reversed air current is discharged.

10. A separator for removing dust particles from a current of air drawn therethrough, comprising a chamber, a reversible filter screen mounted in said chamber, a dust pan provided with a dust pocket disand normally forming a cover for said pocket.

- 11. A separator for removing dust particles from a current of air, comprising a vertically disposed chamber, a filter screen mounted therein, a dustpan provided with a dust pocket removably secured beneath said chamber, a plurality. of pins projecting upwardly from the bottom of said pan around said dust pocket, and a brush mounted in said chamber: for sweeping the dust particles from said filter screen into said dust pocket. I

12. In a separator for removing dust particles from a current of air, the combination of a vertically disposed chamber, a reversible filter screen mounted therein, a second screen disposed adjacent said filter screen, a brush mounted to reciprocate in said chamber for removing dust particles from said filter screen and said second screen, and a dust pan provided with a dust pocket disposed beneath said brush to receive the .dust removed from said screens, said brush movably secured to said chamber, a plurality of pins and a coarse screen projecting upwardly from the bottom of said pan, and means for discharging the dust from said chamber into the dust pan whereupon the pan may be removed and emptied.

14. In a separator for removing dust particles from a current of air, the combination of a vertically disposed chamber, a screen, a brush for sweeping said screen, mounted in said chamber, and a dust pan removably secured beneath said chamber, said dust pan being provided with a coarse screen, a plurality of upwardly projecting pins and a dust pocket disposed beneath said brush to receive the dust removed from said screen in the chamber by the brush.

15. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combination of a separator comprising a plate, a chamber fixedly secured upon said plate, a screen disposed within said chamber and a dust pan provided with a dust pocket and a discharge opening removably secured beneath said plate, pneumatic means for drawing a current of air through said separator, means for sweeping the dust accumulated on said screen into said dust pocket disposed beneath the same, said means being normally adapted to form a cover for said dust pocket, and means for reversing the direction of the current of air through said separator for further cleaning said screen.

16. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combina tion of a separator comprising a plate provided with a discharge opening, a screen disposed beneath said opening, a check valve adapted to close said opening, a screen mounted above said plate and a dust pan removably secured beneath said plate, an intake pipe communicating with said dustpan, pneumatic means for drawing a current of air through said separator from the intake pipe, and means for closing said intake pipe and reversing the direction of the current of air through said separator, said current of air being discharged from the separator through said valved discharge opening in said plate. v

17. In a pneumatic cleaner, the combination of a vertically disposed chamber, a reversible rectangular screen disposed within said chamber, a removable dust pan mounted beneath said chamber and equipped with a normally closed discharge opening, an air outlet pipe communicating with the interior of said rectangular screen, pneumatic means connected to said outlet pipe, a brush mounted to reciprocate in said chamber to sweep the dust particles from the exterior of said rectangular screen into the dust pan, said brush being normally disposed over said dust pocket to form a cover therefor, and means for reversing the direction of a current of air through said screen for further cleaning the same.

18. In a pneumatic cleaner, a separator comprising a chamber, a filter screen mounted therein, a dust pan removably secured beneath said chamber and provided with an open top dust pocket, and means disposed within said chamber for transferring the dust from said screen to said dust pocket, said means being normally disposed over said pocket to form a cover therefor.

CHARLES BURDETTE GILMORE.

Witnesses:

H. M. KENNEDY, W. P. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington.. I). G." 

